Transferring a horse into your name in a timely fashion is paramount to keeping accurate records for both breeding and racing Standardbreds. The effective date of a transfer will determine the breeder of a horse (the owner of the mare at time of
breeding), the owner of a foal (the owner of the mare at time of foaling) and to ensure the correct ownership of a racehorse at the time the program is cleared at the track.
How can I record a transfer of ownership?
Every horse registered with the USTA is either issued a certificate of registration (a.k.a. "hard copy papers") or the registration is held electronic at the USTA (a.k.a. "paperless"). The easiest way to transfer ownership is through Online Services.
You can also submit your transfer by having the current registered owner(s) sign off as seller on either the back of the registration certificate or on an Application for Transfer should the horse's registration be paperless. Buyers should print their name, along with the date of sale and the address or USTA member number of all buyers. Transfer pricing is as follows:
Members
Non-members
Within 90 days of the sale
$40
$130
Between 90 days and 6 months
$70
$160
Between 6 months and a year
$125
$215
Over one year
$205
$295
If you need information on becoming a member, please
click here.
For Frequently Asked Questions about hard copy vs. electronic papers,
click here
For a guide on how to transfer ownership of a horse when one of the owners has died,
click here
If only one partner is being removed from a horse's ownership, what do I need to do?
Whether one partner is being removed or added to a horse's ownership, all current owners must sign as seller and then those retaining (or getting) ownership fill out the buyer information. A transfer cannot be completed until we have verification
(seller signatures) from all owners that a change in ownership is happening.
The certificate of registration is lost, how can I get a new copy? Can a transfer be done at the same time?
The easiest (and fastest) way to request a duplicate certificate is by fax or email. The
Duplicate Registration
form needs to be signed by all current owners (sellers) of the horse confirming the certificate has been lost. By default the new papers will be held electronically; hard copy papers may be requested for an additional $10 fee, but this is not
recommended if a transfer is to be done.
To complete a transfer at the same time, fill out an
Application for Transfer, signed by all the current owners (sellers) and with the buyer information/date of sale completely filled out.
I am racing my horse and need to transfer as soon as possible. What are my options?
If the horse is paperless, submitting your transfer request online is the fastest way to complete the transfer, especially if all registered owners (sellers) and the first listed buyer have email addresses on file with the USTA. Faxing or emailing the Application for Transfer is another fast way to complete the transfer when already signed by the seller(s). If the horse has a certificate of registration, you can submit the certificate (with the back completely filled out) by Federal Express overnight delivery. We will process your transfer the day the paperwork arrives, and the racetrack will then be able to pull the new ownership information up on their computer system.
You may also take the transfer directly to the race office, and a track official can enter the transfer as "pending," which will allow the horse to race in your name. Once the paperwork is submitted to the USTA from the track, the transfer will become official, and if you requested a new certificate (for an additional fee), it will then be issued and mailed to the address we have on file for you.
Can a name change be submitted with a transfer request?
Yes, as long as your horse has never raced (in either a qualifier, fair or matinee) or been bred. Just fill out the
Application for Horse Name Change
form and send it along with the signed registration certificate or the
Application for Transfer. For more information on naming criteria, click here.
If I don't have papers, how can I prove that a horse is mine?
Ownership information is available 24 hours a day through the USTA's
online Pathway database.
Frequently Asked Questions about hard copy vs. electronic papers
To check if a horse's registration is paperless, visit the
Horse Name/Tattoo Search
page and search for the horse by name or freeze brand/tattoo number. Underneath "Current Owner" it will list whether a registration certificate was mailed or if it is held electronically at the USTA office.
Who can make a horse's registration paperless?
The person in possession of a horse's registration certificate can make them paperless by returning the registration to the USTA with a note to make them paperless.
Is there a fee to make a horse paperless (or to request a registration be printed)?
If a horse has hard copy registration papers and you would like them held electronically at the USTA, just return the papers via mail to the USTA office or drop them off at the USTA table at one of the many Standardbred public auctions. If a horse is paperless, you will need to fill out a Hard Copy Registration Request and the fee is $10. The papers will be mailed to the first owner listed on the horse.
Will sales companies accept my horse if it is paperless?
Most sales companies will accept an
Application for Transfer
for a horse that is paperless; however it is always a good idea to confirm a sales company's policies before consignment.
Dealing with a loss of anyone is difficult. The USTA does have a process for you to follow in the event of such a loss. When an owner dies, the horse will either transfer through probate (via a will or intestate succession) or outside of
probate (via a trust or equivalent instrument). Just as with any ownership transfer, the registration certificate must be returned (unless they are held electronically at the USTA) and the appropriate transfer fees must be included.
The USTA requires the following when the horse is part of a
probated estate:
A copy of the death certificate
A copy of the letter of authority or equivalent probate court entry that names and appoints the executor or administrator of the probated estate.
An affidavit from the executor or administrator indicating one of the following:
The horse was sold to the new owner pursuant to the administrator’s authority;
or
The horse was transferred to the new owner by the administrator pursuant to the terms of the will attached to the affidavit;
or
The horse was transferred to the new owner by the administrator pursuant to the terms of the applicable statute identifying the next of kin in the absence of a will, a copy of which statute is attached to the affidavit.
An affidavit from the lawyer for the estate that based upon the facts as set forth in the administrator’s affidavit, the new owner has obtained lawful title to the horse under the applicable laws of that state.
The USTA requires the following when the horse is transferred upon death of the owner
outside of a probated estate:
A copy of the death certificate
A copy of the trust instrument (or equivalent non-probate transfer instrument) pursuant to which the horse is to be transferred.
An affidavit from the trustee of the trust indicating one of the following:
The horse was sold to the new owner pursuant to the trustee’s authority as stated in the trust instrument; or
The horse was transferred to the new owner by the trustee pursuant to the terms of the trust.
An affidavit from the lawyer for the estate that based upon the facts as set forth in the trustee’s affidavit, the new owner has obtained lawful title to the horse under the applicable laws of that state.
Forms/Applications
